Institutions and Abuse

July 12, 2012

For the past few months, it seems like I can’t read the news without coming across another horrifying story of sexual abuse within “esteemed” institutions.

Today marks the release of the “Freeh Report” — the independent analysis of what happened at Penn State with Jerry Sandusky. The Washington Post is live blogging the report’s release here, and the long and short is that it’s a scathing critique of Penn State’s institutional protectionism at the expense of the welfare of children who suffered decades of abuse.

Similarly, over the past year, it’s come to light that a similar story of decades-long abuse by an esteemed football coach, covered up and enabled by the school’s administration, took place at Brooklyn’s Poly Prep.

It is horrifying to read all of these stories. In every case, vulnerable children (because of their age, ambitions, or personal challenges — all of Sandusky’s victims were from the foster care system), are not only abused physically, but are totally head-fucked, as they’re drawn into a complex morass of complicity, confusion, and shame. And to see the constant, relentless pattern of institutions prioritizing their own outward appearances over addressing these criminal and tortuous situations is just so so shameful and sad.